Summary of non-harvesting changes for patch 1. Be warned.

[usinuk]

I’m posting this as a warning for those who are about to experience patch 1 for the first time. I’m not in the camp of the absolute gloom and doom sayers, but there have been a number of changes that frankly make no sense, and more bugs introduced rather than less. See my other post for details on those.

MELEE CHANGES

Yes, mobs got a lot tougher…if you can’t do a ton of damage.

Here’s an example.

I fought a few Scowling Gingos here and there to test the differences. I’m currently lvl 50 in both ranged and melee and using a decent q50 pike. Combat was normally done using a 12 clip of ammo first for minimal damage, and then equipping the pike for the coup de grace. All numbers are base damage (not armor adjusted). (And fortunately, I have a good jewelry set.)

Here, gingo hit for: 19,37,50,26,26,16,13,13,13,28,50,10,29,33,32 = 395 damage points.
There, gingo hit for 147,183,118,183,183,183,109,183,183,118,183,183,118,183 = 2257 damage points.

This would normally serve as a disaster sign. I’m not so sure.

Because…when I used my pike exclusively, I killed the gingo in 3 shots – and it appears the gingo has roughly 600 hps now. Here, the gingo has somewhere around 2300 hps.

So…net net, damage appears to have gone up by a factor of 1000%, but hps have been reduced by 75%. So…the whole key now will be to minimize time you spend fighting on mobs. Highly favors 2H weapon users. Disaster for ranged weapon users.

CRAFT CHANGES

Three things to note immediately.

First, raw mats cost a LOT more. A q50 raw mat at fame 100 for me costs 751 live. On patch 1, it will cost 3600.

Second, craft missions don’t seem to reset. So…you can’t make money that way any more either.

Third, the craft tree is broken for amps. There is a new tree…but you don’t get any exp for it.

Finally, there are new tool vendors.

I can’t figure out either of these changes. They mean simple disaster for crafting for lowbies and newbies. Items will cost a LOT more. And no one will make amps until this gets fixed.

HARVESTING CHANGES

You can reset a mode using a care plan. That’s about the only thing I can say.

MAGIC CHANGES

Most of the bugs have been fixed. But…you can also get spells disrupted a lot easier. Be warned.

Finally, one other note.

Make sure to log out in town. Otherwise, you may have your packers with you in the wild. That equals disaster, since you still can’t heal them.

[shrike]

Also, mat buying price seems to be uneffected by fame. My price for mats is 771 on themain server, but is 3600 on the ATS as well.

No need for the "log out somewhere safe", though. All chars are transported back to their main city after patch.

[rodrigoq]

Less HP on mobs can't be a bad thing.. Even in beta I kinda wished mobs hit harder and had less HP.. Instead of just having an attack on auto for 2-5 min.

Kinda like lower end Goaris.. they hit hard enough when they use that horrid armor ignore.. but they have little HP and drop fast enough. They could kill you if you kept missing, but if you can hit em, they will die before you do.

Mages are probably ecstatic.. less sap/kill now.

[jinnear]

I believe this adds some serious fun to combat... and I am interested in trying my newly aquired feint-skill wich seems to be perfect after the changes.

[Eshin]

and I am interested in trying my newly aquired feint-skill wich seems to be perfect after the changes.

As far as I know, feint makes you miss a combat round. Now, my logic tells me that there really isn't room for that now, since it's the utmost importance to mow the mob down fast. So the point in feint, especially now after the patch, eludes me a bit.

But yeah, maybe I'm missing something crucial here. Prolly

[ahremark]

As far as I know, feint makes you miss a combat round. Now, my logic tells me that there really isn't room for that now, since it's the utmost importance to mow the mob down fast. So the point in feint, especially now after the patch, eludes me a bit.

But yeah, maybe I'm missing something crucial here. Prolly

If i understand feint correctly, it's best used in teams by fighters who are not tanking to avoid stealing aggro from the main tank.
Focusing damage on the main tank will be even more important after this patch since it makes you able to focus all healing power on one person rather than all over the place.

[borg9]

With feint the main attack is not the important bit.

Proper use of feint:

Make attack with a stanza that contains feint, this results in a swing with no damage. However it creates an 'opening' and enables any attack with 'attack after feint' credit (which comes with the feint stanza).

This credit allows you to do a powerful attack, with lower stam/hp consumption.

It works in the same way as 'attack after parry/dodge/critical', but you create the opening.

using a low credit feint combined with a high power attack after, means 2 swings per big hit, but you are in control of the opening.

[Eshin]

Supposedly, this wasn't about feint itself, but the fact how the feint is especially now useful, like jinnear said. This part is the one that eludes me.

If i understand feint correctly, it's best used in teams by fighters who are not tanking to avoid stealing aggro from the main tank.
Focusing damage on the main tank will be even more important after this patch since it makes you able to focus all healing power on one person rather than all over the place.

If the main tank taunts or just engages first in combat with the mob, and keeps hitting it, there's about 5% probability that the mob will start aggroing someone else. So, I'm not quite seeing how that defends the practical value of feint after this patch

Well, anyway. My opinion about feint is that it just makes you miss a combat round, despite that it's relatively powerful credit. Though, like noted, it's good in groups where you can't use attack after parries/dodges and critical hit happens too seldom. Solo-wise, I wouldn't bother (and even in a group, you'll do just fine without the feint). SP costs aren't anything to glorify either.

[rugster]

Also, mat buying price seems to be uneffected by fame. My price for mats is 771 on themain server, but is 3600 on the ATS as well.

No need for the "log out somewhere safe", though. All chars are transported back to their main city after patch.

holy... so no reason to be rushing back to play then.

My primary concern in mmo games is crafting/mining... and this is a smack in the face.